...don't fuck w/my groove...

one more chance...

in 95, every hip-hop video seemed to be the sexiest, lushest, most exclusive party - that i wasn't invited to.  (biggie: one more chance.  you remember, right?)   how fun to have been plopped smack in the center of this exact type of scene (albeit, in 2012, w/an exclusively female cast of characters)while catering my grrrl's music video...

y'all remember the Mack Diva initial D, right?  the one from Detroit, for whom sushi is soul food - well, y'all, she would slap me for this one, (& although her films have gone to sundance & telluride)  if she took hype williams' throne, i would be the last one to be mad...  & she got her start along these lines directing the video described above, & which i was privileged to cater.

funniest lines from the shoot:

the producer, A, so sweet & cute, takes her first bite of the lobster mac & cheese & murderously mutters @ me, "you are hannibal lecter out this mothafucka!!!" - i take this to be a positive critique -  then proceeds to keep me posted on everyone's all around happiness by texting me gems such as:

"there's about 20 lesbians tryin ta wife you up"

"everyone is saying that this is thee best food they have ever had on a set"


& i personally observed lovely A, walking by shoving food in her mouth & barking defensively on B, one of the (extremely ladylike, also gorgeous) line producers.  A:  "& don't say shit to me."  unnamed producer, staring pointedly @ A's full mouth chewing spits back:  "you've already said all that needs to be said..."

a feminine/nist environment overflowing w/beauty & creativity... my kind of scene - & lemme just say this:the past few months have been so demanding, so filled w/food & the macabre lore that fills my life, that you can expect a monster post w/the full chronicles; for now, my lil menu for the 'thee satisfaction' shoot:

ps!!! -  here is a link of the video, & following that, a link to Mac Diva raving about the shoot food in ebony.com:

http://www.ebony.com/video/entertainment-culture/watch-theesatisfaction-queens

 lobster mac & cheese:

serves 30 as an app/15 - 20 as part of a larger meal, in ramekins about 4 oz each

6 lobster tails averaging 6 - 8 oz each
3# conchiglie (nice shell shape) boiled in copious, sea-salted water
1 # butter
1 quart (pref grass-fed) half & half
thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups flour
6 eggs whisked w/a touch of salt & white pepper
4 different cheeses, grated & combined:  about 1 # each: white cheddar, gruyere, provolone, parmesan or locatelli romano
6 shallots sliced into rings - a bit of shallot trivia: cut in one direction only.  if you chop these too much they will become bitter. try to handle them as little as possible -
6 cloves garlic sliced thinly
6 TBSP lemon juice  & lemon zest, about 1/2 tbs is optional
old bay the best louisiana/crab boil/seasoning salt ever.
*borsari seasoning salt the best straight ahead seasoning salt there ever was.  period, point blank.*

*to butter poach lobster* while melting 1/2 pound of butter to which the shallot & garlic slices have been added,  break down the lobster:  using kitchen shears, cut the lobster's shells straight up the middle on the front & back.  the meat pulls easily out of the shell.   @ this point, the butter should be foaming, the garlic & onion should have just started to perfume the mixture.  lower the heat.  it is the right time to add your shelled lobster tails.  when they become opaque, & the teensiest bit firm, remove them to a shallow bowl, & pour the butter lemon mixture over them, then allow them to cool.  this is butter poaching lobster.

the pasta:
make bechamel from the melted butter, heated to foam.  add the flour, thyme, & bay leaf.  saute till combined, & till a very light nutty smell emanates.  add the half & half.  whisk, simmering till smooth & combined; velvety.  set aside to cool.
w/two large spoons, or your hands, mix the pasta, eggs, bechamel, & half of the cheese. 

spoon about 2 TBSP of lobster into each ramekin, then spoon mac & cheese mixture on top of lobster, & sprinkle additional reserved cheese on top of that.

blackened salmon ceasar salad -

first, marinate the salmon:



3 meyer lemons, juiced strain for seeds, zested for all they are worth... get every bit you can & scrape into marinade
6 cloves elephant garlic (love!!!)
fresh ground black pepper

2 TBSP soy sauce

pour above mixture over
1 whole salmon, cleaned & scaled, skin on - (ps.  yes, i like to clean my own salmon. but if you are not a fan, you can still buy it whole, & have the fishmonger do this for you)

w/both halves of the salmon coated in mixture, rest in fridge to marinate for 2 - 4 hours, then sear or broil to desired doneness

blend together:
1 head  garlic, mashed and minced
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 egg yolks
3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt
pepper
lemon juice
6 anchovies or 1 tsp thai fish sauce

then add in drops @ a time:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

once all is emulsified, add:
1 cup grated locatelli romano
1 cup shredded parmesan

lastly, add
add 1 bunch fresh parsley &
3 sprigs fresh thyme

when thoroughly blended, pour over 3 bunches clean, shredded romaine.

curry fried chicken wings  *see above, this recipe published 7/1*

thank you for your time!!!